DK - World War II Map by Map

ITALY’S CAMPAIGNS IN AFRICA 75

Gideon Force advance Jan 20–May 5, 1941

6

5

▷ Addis Ababa liberated

British and Commonwealth infantry

pose for a photo after entering the

Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa

in May 1941. The Italian forces in

Ethiopia finally surrendered on

November 27, 1941.

ACTION IN EAST AFRICA

The British drove Italy out of East

Africa, returning Ethiopia (which

included modern-day Eritrea) to

its exiled ruler, Haile Selassie, after

five years of Italian occupation.

Jan 19, 1941

British forces

retake Kassala.

Jul 4, 1940 Italian

forces take Gallabat

and Kassala.

Nov 27, 1941

Italian forces in

Gondar finally

surrender.

May 22, 1941 The

remnants of the

Italian forces in

southern Ethiopia

surrender.

Apr 2, 1941 The

British Royal Navy

and Fleet Air Arm sink

or capture all seven

of the Italian Red Sea

Squadron’s destroyers.

May 19, 1941 The

Italians are defeated

at Amba Alagi; their

commander

surrenders.

Aug 19, 1940 The British

garrison evacuates from Berbera

after four days of fighting.

Mar 16–20, 1941 British

troops land at Berbera and

retake British Somaliland.

3

4

Western Desert Force/

XIII Force (from Jan 1941)

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Fort Maddalena

Fort Capuzzo

Fort

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Al Bayda

Benghazi

Agedabia

Beda Fomm

ITALY

Al Marj

Tobruk

Gazala

El Adem

Mersah Matruh

Baqqush

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Mt. Kenya
Lake
Turkana
Lake
Victoria
Southern
Force
12th
African Div
1st South
African Div
Haile Selassie
and Gideon
Force
5th Indian Div
4th Indian Div
Nothern
Force
11th African Div
Khartoum
Nairobi
Garissa
Bura
Mogadishu
Dolo
Neghelli
Shashamanna
Danan
Welwel
Dagabur
Segag
Mega
Moyale
Soddu
Addis
Ababa
Amba Alagi
Dessie
Awash
Jijiga
Berbera
Dire Dawa
Harar
Hargeisa
Zeila
Djibouti
Aden
Metemma
Gondar
GallabatGallabat
Tessenei
Barentu
Adowa
Asmara
Massawa
Kassala
Port Sudan
Agordat
Keren
Debre
Markos
R e d S e a
Gulf of Aden
ADEN
PROTECTORATE
ERITREA
UGANDA
FRENCH
SOMALILAND
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Northern Force advance Jan 19–May 19, 1941

Evacuation

of British from

Somaliland

Italian bombardment

Jun 1940

Italian attacks Jun–Aug 1940

Southern Force advance

Jan 10–May 22, 1941

Berbera Force advance

Mar 16–Mar 20, 1941

Pockets of Italian

resistance

ITALIAN INVASION OF SUDAN AND BRITISH

SOMALILAND JUNE 11, 1940–AUGUST 19, 1940

The Italians began their East African campaign

cautiously with the strategic aerial bombardment of

British targets. On July 4, their ground forces crossed

into British-held territory, taking Kassala and Gallabat

just inside Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, and Moyale in Kenya.

A more sustained offensive began on August 4, when

the Italians invaded British Somaliland, eventually

forcing the British garrison to evacuate.

THE CAPTURE OF ERITREA

JANUARY 19, 1941–MAY 19, 1941

On January 19, the Allied Northern Force crossed from

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and retook Kassala. Advancing

over Eritrea’s mountainous terrain, it took the garrison

town of Agordat nine days later and the stronghold of

Keren in March. The capital, Asmara, surrendered on

April 1. Italian commander Prince Amadeo withdrew

south to the fortress of Amba Alagi, pursued by the

Allied forces, who defeated him there on May 19.

THE SOUTHERN COUNTEROFFENSIVE

FEBRUARY 10, 1941–MAY 22, 1941

The Allied Southern Force consisted mainly of African

troops under British officers in Kenya. On February 10,

two divisions marched into Italian Somaliland and

one into Ethiopia. The Allies took Mogadishu on

February 26 and converged with a further Allied force,

which had landed at Berbera and retaken British

Somaliland, to capture Addis Ababa on April 6.

EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE AND

GIDEON FORCE JANUARY 20, 1941–MAY 5, 1941

While the British were advancing through Ethiopia

from the north, south, and east, Emperor Haile

Selassie and the Gideon Force—made up of British

and Ethiopian regulars and Ethiopian Patriots—were

marching toward Addis Ababa from the west. They

arrived in triumph in the capital on May 5, one month

after the city had fallen to Allied forces.

US_074-075_Italy_campaign_Africa.indd 75 22/03/19 11:48 AM